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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · hide · racket · pitch · rock · arm · spell · fine

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pitch — completely
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ground — a position
  6. fine — high quality
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. spell — letters
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. ground — crushed
  20. fine — all right
  21. rock — music
  22. ground — the earth
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. spell — magic

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com